Clutch.



Ff A. LAW.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR-.8, 1902.

1,009,424, Patented 11011.21, 1911.

UNITED sTATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

FIED vA. LAW, F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

THE COLUMBIA MoTon CAB. COMPANY, TIoN or CONNECTICUT.

Specication of Letters Patent.

or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CoaPonA- QLUTCH.

n all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. LAW, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, (whose post-office address is Hartford, Connecticut,) have made certain new land useful Inventions in Clutches, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description, whereby any one'sliilled in the art may make and use the same.V

The invention relatesin general to clutches for coupling two sections of a shaft together, and more particularly to devices of this sort known 1n theart as friction clutches. Ordinarily in devices of this class, it has been the practice to provide suitable clutch surfaces which may be positively thrown' into position to engage cooperating clutch surfaces, and thus secure a more or less positive connection between the two sections of a shaft and the friction surfaces, or,- one of the clutch members has' either been tapered to engage a corresponding conical surface on the coperating member, or, radial shoes have been provided which could be positively actuated and thrown into engagement with a coperating lfriction member.- In all of these forms o f device, more or -les's of a shock is transmitted especially when lthe driven section of the shaftis under a heavy.

load. A nd where sufficient clutch. surfaces are provided to give a positive drive between the two sections of the shaft, the/Fliability'of this 'shock is increased as it is then almost impossible -to gradually bringl thetwo surfaces of the clutch memberinto engagement to permit the driven 'section of 'the-shaft toV be picked up bythe driving section.

Itis the object of the present invention to provide a clutch of the general class known as friction clutches in which .the

lti've' fthe connection or otherwise.' without' the lliability of wearing and de denotes thedriving. shaft to which is'securedi the-.fly-wheel 2. This vily-wheel is provided 'with a suitablehub within which are'ardriven shaft will be picked .up easily and Without shock by the driving shaft, and this stroying the clutch surfaces. 'A further object of the invention vistosimplify allparts of the structure and econo miz'e 1n space `and to'so inclose vall the sA cial actuating parts of the mechanism t at there will belittle or no liability of injury Patented Nov. 21, 1911. Appuatin .med April s, 1902. serial No.' 101,898.

to bind due to straining to with the parts brokenaway to'show the construction. Fig. 2 is asectional view through the clutch mechanism substantially at right angles to the plane of section'of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view'through'the medial line of one of the shoes, showing a modiiied ar rangement of the parts shown in Figs.` l

and 2.

While the device herein shown is not limited in its vuses-to any particular form of driving-mechanism and Vmay be used With equal lcility -upon any two sections of a shaft, which it is desired to connect and disconnect, it is herein shown in connection with the ily-wheel of an engine and 1s particularly designed for use in connection with an engine or motor of the internal combustion type such as is commonly used upon road vehicles.

The clutches used in connection with selfdriving axle, are'su to` unusually hard usage, 'inasmuch as a vehicle oftenhas -to be -started from a position of rest with the .engine or motor running at a' comparatively igh speed, and under these conditions, un l less s ecial clutch mechanism isi-provided, -t'here'isa liability of incurring such -sliocksv and strains 'in starting the carriage .as willbe most injurious v'to the .operating -mechanism las -well as extremelyl disagreeable to the-occupant. Theevenness of operation or engagement 'is insured by preservln the enmgthrown out of oOnceDtricity.. by relanding or flexing of 'the driven shaft at to the .drawings `the numeral ranged recesses 3 adapted t0 receive thimbles or nipples 4 which extend beyond .the

propelled vehicles. for connecting and dis- I connecting the en e or motor from-the 90 ggmg .parts concentric and avoiding their surface of the hub and into corresponding ing shaft. Bolts 6 secure the parts together, and by this construction, the thimbles or nipples with the bolts 6, provide ample bearing between .the parts to prevent shearing of the parts. The inner surface of the fly-wheel 2 is tapered to conical form and provides a clutch surface 7 which coperates with a cone member 8 operatively connected with a driven shaft 9 by flexible means. The cone 8 is suitably securedxto the spider 10, which is provided vwith ledges 11 forming suitable abutments for one end of a series of spiral springs 12 which at their opposite ends bear against friction shoes 13. These shoes 13 are arranged within the cone 8, and may be of any desired number to provide the requisite amount of surface for properly engaging the clutch surface of the fly-wheel 2. As shown in the drawings, there are eight of these friction shoes, and each projects slightly beyond the periphery of the'c'one 8, when said cone is out of engagement with its coperatin clutch surface. The surface of these eight shoes is concentric with the surface of the cone, and suitable stops preferably formed integral with the shoes as 14, prevent the friction shoes projecting beyond the periphery of the cone beyond certain predetermined limits.

The end of the driven shaft 9 bears a pair of arms or equivalent means as 15, upon which are mounted Aanti-friction bearings 16 coperating vwith a slotted member 17 secured to and preferably integral with the spider 10. Furthermore a flexing orbending movement of driven shaft 9 with relation to the clutch as a whole, is permitted by the construction shown, in which the ball and socket joint preserves thedriven shaft v 9 central upon or wit-h relation to the clutch, but permits flexibility, While the arms 19 engaging 'with the slot 17 on the spider, give a proper purchase for the drivingshaft effort, but permit relative movement of ilexure of the driven shaft, while the anti-friction bearing 16 prevents the loss of power in relative movement of arms l5 in the slot, as the anti-friction means shown bear on one side of the slots 'or the other side depending upon the positive or negative driving and therefore roll on the sides of the slot when relative movement is caused, either by moving the clutch member in or out of engagement or during normal rotation when driven shaft 9 is bent relatively to the clutch mechanism. By this arrangement, an axial movement of the spider andits cone clutch and clutch shoes is permitted, although a spring 18 is provided for normally holding the clutch surfaces in engagement. Any convement means may be used for withdrawing the cone 8 and appurtenant parts from the said spider and the shaft 1. A suit-able adjustment for determining the tension of the spring 18 is provided in a nut 19 threaded upon the end of the shaft 1 and having a' thrust bearing of the antifriction type 20, interposedbetween it and the end of the actuating spring 18. There is a special reason for arranging the actuating sprin Within a practically closed recess in the hu of the spider, inasmuch as there isvery little liability of this spring becoming distorted or being subjected to the injurious effects of grit and dirt. It will be noted that the spring is entirely inclosed and so formed and held that there is practically no opportunity of its becoming damaged or overstrained, and thus made unt for use.

To insure a clean and bright surface between the contacting parts of the clutch at all times, a series of grooves are cut in one of the engaging members as at 21 and while these grooves are shown as formed in the surface of the conical member 8, they might equally well be formed in the clutch surface of the fly-wheel 2, although the same benefits are not obtained, as there is a tendency for foreign matter to accu.- mulate upon the periphery of the cone surface of the fly-wheel 2 dueto its rapid rotav tion, and the grooves 21 when formed in the cone 8 will elfectually clear this surface of foreign material.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the

' driven shaft 9 is provided with a spherical recess 1n which a spherical enlargementl enga es thus forming a ball and socket joint.

bviously, the details of the mechanism herein described might be changed without at all altering the purposes or the intention of the invention, and the relative position and arrangement of the parts might be varied to suit the eXigencies-of any particular case.

What I do claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination of a pair of friction clutch surfaces respectively embodied in a main clutch member and a second clutch member, means for moving said surfaces `into and out of complete engagement with each other, and independent driving friction clutch surfaces including members projecting `through the main clutch member adapted to engage before the engagement of the firstnamed surfaces. v v

2. In combination with a sectional shaft, a friction clutch surface borne upon one section, a coperating frictionclutch surface adapted to positively unite the two sections when brought into complete engagement with the first named clutch member, and a series of driving and friction clutch surfaces intermediate of the twofclutch members actuated by means projecting through one of said clutch surfaces.

3. In combination with a sectional shaft, a friction clutch member vborne upon one section of the shaft, a coperating friction clutch member adapted to engage the iirst amed member and provided with a plurality of driving friction clutch surfaces, one of which surfaces engages t-he coperating clutch member in advance of the others, yielding means causing that clutch rsurface which engages i in advance tol project through and yieldingly beyond the sur- ;ounding driving and friction clutch surace.

4. In combination, a divided shaft, a main friction clutch member operatively mounted upon one section of said shaft a flange therefor, a coperating friction clutch member adapted to completely engagesaid member and positively unite the two sections of the shaft, and frictional driving means including a yielding member inside of the main clutch flange for securing a partial driving effect between the shaft sections before the main clutch surfaces are brought into complete engagement.

5. In combination in a friction clutch, a driving cone,"a driven cone and a series of spring sustained clutch members projecting through one of said'members and adapted to couple said cones, and means for completely engaging the cone surfaces.

6. In combination in a frictionclutch, a

vfrictional driving member, a frictional driven member, resilient means for forcing said members together, said means forming the Abearing to permit relative .rot-ation of the driving and driven members.

7. In combination in a clutch mechanism, a driving member and a driven member, a spring adapted' to force said members into positive engagement, said spring being retai'ned within the hub of one of the members and, providing abearing for rotation of said member.

- 8. The combination of a pair-of friction clutch surfaces, means for bringing said sur-v faces into and out of engagement with each other, means supported with one of said clutch surfaces and capable of movement relatively therewith whereby in oneposition a portion only of one of said friction surfaces yis in driving contact and in anothe position said portion is flush with the remaining drivin surface.

9. In combinatlon with a sectionalpsha'ft,

a clutch surface borne upon one section, a coperating clutch surface adapted to frictionally unite the two sections when brought-- into engagement and a' series of surfaces l protruding normally slightly beyond one of the main clutch surfaces surrounded on all sides by the main clutch surface andarranged to act upon the other clutch surface. l0. In combination with a sectional shaft, a clutch member borne upon one section of the shaft, a coperating clutch member adapted to engage the first named member, having a main clutch surface and provided with a clutch surface arranged to normally protrude slightly beyond the first mentioned clutch surface in advance of engagement of the main surface, said slightly protruding surface constituting a pad intermediate the sides of said main surface and adapted to recede to a position where it becomes a flush continuation of the main sur` face surrounding it. 11. In combination with a sectional shaft, a frictional clutch member secured to one section, a second frictional clutch member rotatably mounted with relationto said section and having a hub with bifurcated eX- tensions, lprojections on the other section of the shaft adapted to engage said bifurcated projections, and a ball and socket connection between the two sections of the shaft.

l2. In combination with a sectional shaft, a friction cloutch member secured to one, of said sections, a spider rotarily mounted with relation thereto, a second friction clutch member concentrically arranged with relation to the spider and provided with orifices in its working face, clutch members projecting through said orifices and spring supported with relation thereto whereby a partial driving effect is secured between the two main clutch surfaces upon the engagement of the projecting surfaces,fand connections between the spider and the second section of the shaft permitting only relative axial movement of the parts.

13. In combination with a friction clutch, a conical clutch surface, a coperating conical clutch surface adapted to completely engage said first named clu-tch surface, and a plurality of driving clutch members proj ect` ing through one of the conical clutch members and adapted when the parts are in full engagement to form a part of the conical surface of said clutch member.

14. In a clutch mechanism, in combination, a driving member and a driven member, friction clutch surfaces arranged to connect and disconnect said members, a plu-- rality of independent` clutch surfaces arranged to project radially through one of said frictional clutch .surfaces whereby a partial and varying driving .effort is secured before the complete engagement of said frictional clutch surfaces. 1

15.A In combination in a clutch, a fly Wheel having abeveled surface on the inner side of its rim, a shaft supporting said fly wheel and projecting into a second clutch member, said second clutch member' having a beveled surface adapted to engage the fly wheel and having arms forming a flexible coupling, a second shaft engaging said clutch member coupling and affording a flexible connection between said second shaft member and the first shaft member.

16. The combination in a clutch, of a shaft, a member with a beveled clutch surface supported thereby, a second member movable'relatively thereto in the direction of the axis of the shaft, spring actuated means moving said clutch members axially of said shaft, other spring actuated members operating radially fromsaid shaft, a sectional clutch surface operated by the latter.

17. In combination in a clutch, of a clutch member and 'frictional surfaces fastened thereon, a shaft supporting said member,

. a second clutch member with a friction surface for engagement with the first and secondary contact surfaces in conjunction therewith actuated by springs radially with relation to said shaft, a spring operating axially of said shaft to normally hold the clutch members in engagement.

18. A friction clutch consisting of two members provided with bea-ring or friction faces, one of said members having a supple- .bifurcated arms on said driven clutch member, projections on said driven sha-ft member adapted to engage with said bifurcated arms on the second clutch member and interconnections between said bifurcated arms and said projections including anti-friction devices. Y

20. In combination in a sectional shaft, 'a driven member and a driving member, flexible means of engagement between the driving member and vthe driven member, a third member surrounding one of said members and having interconnections wlth the other member whereby it may be moved longitudinally on the member it surrounds and' transmit driving effort t-o the other member, said interconnections including slots andengaging stubs or arms.

21. In combination with a clutch, ii '.er engaging frictional clutch members, a section of a 'shaft coupling embodied with one of said clutch members, a second shaft section, interconnecting` means between said shaft section 4permitting relative flexibility and including arms on one of said sections with slots on the ends of said arms.

22. In combination, a driving shaft, a Hy wheel, driving clutch member, a driven shaft, an intermediate section embodying a clutch member, adapted to engage with the driving clutch member, a spring between the fly wheel and the drivenshaft, a hub on said intermedia-te member inclosing said sprin means on said hub for engaging oneend o said spring, a projection on the driven shaft carrying means for engaging the other end of said spring.

23. In combination, a frictional clutch operating mechanism and a shaft coupling, two shaft sections interconnected by said couplin one of said shaft sections and its coup ing means embodied in one of the members of said friction clutch, means for longitudinally moving said friction clutch member and its shaft coupling means, and slotted connection between sald shaft sections, anti-friction means on the other shaft section adapted to engage and move in said slot.`

24. In combination in a friction clutch, a driving member and a driven member each having a friction clutch surface, an axial projection on the driving member, a hub on said driven member surrounding the projection on the driving member, a spring adapted to force said members into positive engagement, said sprin being retained within the hub of said drlven member.

25. In combination in a friction clutch, a driving member, a driven member, an axial projecton o-n said driving member, a hub on said driven member surrounding the axial projection of the driving member, a spring adapted to force the driven member into engagement with the driving member restrained at one end by the hub of the driven member and at the other end restrained by an anti-friction thrust bearing detachably secured on the projection of the driven member.

26. In combination, a clutch and shaft coupling, a driving clutch member, a driven shaft section, an intermediate member combining a driven clutch member and a driving shaft section and including a hub, an axial projection on said driving clutch member located between the driven shaft section and the clutch member and embraced by the hub of the intermediate member, a detachable abut-ment on saidy projection, a sprin restrained between an engagement with sai hub and said detachable abutment.

27. In combination in a friction clutch,

a driving and a driven member, mea-ns for movingsaid members into and out of en gagement vwith each other, independent clutch driving surfaces borne by one of said parts includlng pads projectin sli htly above the surface and through theurfagce of one of said parts and adapted to engage the single clutchsurface of the opposite art and means permitting said indepene t clutch surfaces to recede and permit the driven member to engage the same clutch surfaceon the driving member as is engaged by the independent clutch surfaces.

28. ,The combination in 'a clutch mechanism, a drivin member and a driven member, a pair of iction clutch surfaces, means for moving said surfaces into and out of engagement With each other, detachable and 15 attachable supplementary` pads projecting through one of Said surfaces, spring actuated means removed fronrthe actual frictional surfaces of 'said supplementary pads.

This specification signed and witnessed 20` A this 12th day of'FebruaI'y, A. D. 1902.

In the presencelofl HENRY L. SMITH, v FRAM; W. WESTERVELT. 

